Thread: Shaky needs help!

Mornin all,

Time to unload my sad story and hope you guys can help me.

I'm only 37 yo and I have a nervous condition that makes my hands shake, more like a tremble so....

I have a lot of trouble honing on a stone as I have to keep a little presure to overcome the shakes and keep the edge flat. At the moment I send my razors to Joe who does a fantastic job and then touch them up on a 4 sided paddle strop I got from Tony. The paddle is great but a little too narrow and I was thinking..

Would it be a good idea to buy the scary sharp system from hand american as I presume that I can put a little amount of pressure on the blade to keep it flat?

I'm not talking of body weight pressure here just enough to stop my tremble from raising the blade.

As usual I value your advice

Thanks
Dazza

Just an idea...do you have trouble stropping? If not then maybe the best route for you is a pasted hanging strop.
Not a paddle strop.

Just thinking out loud,

That's not a bad idea. A hanging strop will put a very keen edge in one heck of a hurry because of the long stroke. I've got one that I use on my knives and a few of my razors and it is impressive.

Mine is from handamerican, and it uses their roughout leather. One side is pasted with flexcut gold and the other with handamerican's boron carbide paste.

Does the shaking minimize if you have both hands on the the razor, (one on the tang, one on the nose), versus holding the razor in one hand?

I know Tony Miller was designing a 'bench strop' that is basically a paddle strop but large and rests on the table top. This might help.....

C utz

I think the guys here may be on to something with the pasted strop. It will refresh a blade for a while and will do it quickly. Not to mention it will take a bit more shaking to dull a blade on a strop rather than a hone. Unfortunately, I dont know anyone who has used the scary sharp system, although I know it has been brought up quite a few times in the forums. At any rate, if something doesnt work out for you, there is no shame in having your razors sent out.

Originally Posted by C utz

Does the shaking minimize if you have both hands on the the razor, (one on the tang, one on the nose), versus holding the razor in one hand?

I know Tony Miller was designing a 'bench strop' that is basically a paddle strop but large and rests on the table top. This might help.....

C utz

I use Tony Miller's 4 sided paddle strop with great results. No problems at all.

I can vouch for a pasted hanging strop keeping a razor sharp - I use Dovo red. Works a treat.

When we talk about a abrasive pasted hanging strop please be aware that we mean that in addition to a plain leather hanging strop. You will need both. Tony Miler has an inexpensive strop that would be perfect for this application.


Just my two cents,

Thank you all for your help,

I would have checked in before this but I don't have a computer at home. Yes I can strop ok as it seems to be a 'major' movement and not a fine one, like honing.

I have tony's 4 sided paddle strop at the moment and I send my blades to Joe to be honed but I think I'll try the pasted strop route as well.

Again thank you